Tom and Ann Hill thought they were just doing what their bank told them to do.
But as the Florida couple shared with News4JAX, these instructions allegedly came from a fraudster who managed to scam the couple out of their life savings (1).
In January 2024, the Hills were the target of a sophisticated identity theft scam that resulted in $42,000 being withdrawn from their bank account. Two years later, the couple is still fighting to get that money back from their bank, JPM Chase, which recently rejected their request and closed the case.
Given that the Hills are over 70 and living on a fixed income, their story serves as a cautionary tale for older Americans who are often targeted by these elaborate schemes.
The ordeal began when Ann received a text message confirming a bank transfer almost two years ago. According to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), texting is a common tactic that scammers often use to make initial contact with their targets (2).
As Ann shared with News4JAX, she didn’t respond to the text and instead decided to call the phone number on the back of her debit card to speak directly with a JPM Chase representative. Knowing better than to respond to a random text message, Ann chose a safer investigative route that consumer advocates often recommend.
But unfortunately this was not enough to protect the Hills from this scam. After his call with the JPM Chase representative ended, the Hills received a call from someone else claiming to be from the bank. This supposed JPM Chase representative was allegedly the scammer who sent the first text message that sparked this ordeal. Investigators say the caller “spoofed” JPM Chase’s real phone number, making the call appear legitimate on caller ID.
According to News4JAX’s review of the police report, The Hills’ bank account was reported on January 18, 2024 and should have been suspended. Part of the police report states that “Ann indicated that she inquired about the text and was told the account would be suspended.” But later that day, $22,000 was transferred from the Hills’ bank account, and another transfer of $20,000 took place the next day, January 19, 2024.
Fraud investigators shared recordings with News4JAX that show calls to the bank that requested the transfers did not come from Tom or Ann. “It is very likely that the scammer(s) called JPM Chase pretending to be Ann Hill, they also spoofed Hills’ number(s),” the police report states.
After months of back-and-forth with the bank, JPM Chase finally closed the case, telling Tom in an email that “we sent a one-time access code (OTP) to the number on file ending in 8157. Our records show that we received the appropriate OTP, which is why the transfers were sent.”
But this explanation poses a big problem. “That’s not our phone number,” Tom shared with News4JAX. In fact, Ann’s phone number ends with 8158, while Tom’s phone number ends with 8151.
“My professional opinion is that after hearing the voices of the real and fake Ann Hill, there is no way JPM Chase would have authorized the two wire transfers of $20,000 and $22,000,” the fraud detective wrote in the police report.
“When they take that money out of your savings account, it really leaves you with a bitter taste,” Tom told News4JAX.
Meanwhile, JPM Chase released a statement on the matter, saying: “We urge all consumers to ignore telephone or Internet requests from unsolicited sources to transfer money or provide access to their computer or bank accounts. Legitimate banks and businesses will not make these requests, but scammers will.”
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According to the FTC, imposter scams are now one of the most financially devastating types of fraud in the United States. In 2023 alone, Americans reported billions of dollars in losses due to identity theft scams, with bank and government impostors topping the list (3).
Older Americans and retirees make good targets for scams because they often have large account balances, as well as other assets that fraudsters can potentially exploit. Older Americans are also vulnerable to the sophistication of today’s scams, which often use artificial intelligence and advanced technology to fool unsuspecting victims.
To protect yourself from an imposter scam, it’s important to recognize potential red flags:
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Requests to act immediately to “secure” your account
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Threats of potential arrest unless you act immediately
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Email addresses that do not match the name of the person, business, or agency
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Bad grammar in written emails or text messages
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Requests for one-time access codes by telephone
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Requests for personal information such as passwords, PINs or full account numbers
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Pressure to act in secret and not tell anyone
Even when a caller ID appears legitimate, scammers can spoof phone numbers, as we learned with the Hills case. That’s why consumer advocates say the safest response to an unsolicited and potentially threatening message is to hang up/ignore that email or text message and call the company or agency back using a legitimate phone number. Yet even then, experts advise ending the call if anything seems rushed or pressured, and never continuing a conversation that begins with a text or pop-up on your computer.
If you think you’ve been scammed, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau recommends acting quickly and documenting everything (4). Here are a few things you should do immediately:
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Freeze or restrict the account(s) and immediately notify the bank or agency of the fraud
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File a police report
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Dispute the transaction in writing, not just over the phone
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Request all investigation files and call logs
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File a report with the FTC
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File a complaint with the CFPB if the bank refuses reimbursement
The FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center also urges victims to promptly report any wire fraud, as the chances of recovery decrease after the first 24 hours.
We rely only on verified sources and credible third-party reports. For more details, see our ethics and editorial guidelines.
News4Jax(1); Federal Trade Commission (2, 3); Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (4)
This article provides information only and should not be considered advice. It is provided without warranty of any kind.
